Letter-file, &amp;c.



Patented Aug. 22, I899. H. A. SKBEBEBG. LETTER FlL-E, 8w.

(Apgiicabion filed. Feb. 25, 1899.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HANS A. SKREBERG, OF BIG BEND, MINNESOTA.

LETTER-FILE, ac.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 631,592, dated August 22, 1899. Application filed February 25, 1899. Serial No. 706,861. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HANS A. SKREBERG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Big Bend, in the county of Chippewa and State of Minnesota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Letter-Files, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in letter-files or a combined letter-file and cabinet-drawer,all of which will be fully described hereinafter, and particularly referred to in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved letter-file with a piece of paper in position ready to be perforated and held by the perforating standards or hooks. view of my improved letter-file, showing it used in connection with a cabinet and as a drawer. Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of the wire which forms the combined hook, punch, and handle. Fig. 4 is a detached perspective view of one of the combined perforating-plates and supports.

Referring now to the drawings, A indicates a base or bottom of a letter-file which is provided at one end with the longitudinal grooves a. These grooves a start from a point slightly inward from one end of the base or bottom and extend to its outer end, as illustrated. Placed within these grooves a are the combined standards or hooks, punch, and handle B, which consists of asingle piece of wire having its base portion 17 of a U shape in form and the upward or right-angle standards c, with their upper ends bent at right angles outward toward the adjacent ends of the base, as shown at d. The U-shaped portion I) of this wire is seated in the grooves a,

so that it projects beyond the end of the base,

as shown, to form a handle, by means of which the letter-file can be. handled and carried around when used as a separate file or as a handle when the file is used as a drawer in connection with the cabinet. For the purpose of holding this wire in the grooves a of the base or bottom andalso for the purpose of preventing the warping of the base or bottom an angle-plate D extends transverse the base and over the grooves a and the wire situated therein, thus serving the double pur- Y pose just stated.

Fig. '2 is a sectional the wire B for the purpose of perforating the paper or letter to be filed away. This leaf is provided with perforations h, registering with the perforations in the said plate, whereby openings are formed entirely through the leaf, so that the paper punched out of the letter filed away will pass on through the leaf. The lower outturned ends of these perforated plates serve as a guide to receive the paper that is being filed away, as illustrated in Fig. 1, thus materially assisting the operator in filing the papers away uniformly and straight.

In operation the letter or other paper to be filed away is placed with its edge resting upon the outturned ends of the perforated plates, as shown in Fig. 1, and held in position by the thumb and forefinger, when by an inward pressure of the swinging leaf the paper or letter is perforated and may be passed over the books or standards to its proper position upon the base or bottom of the file.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, when the device is being used as a drawer in a cabinet the swinging leaf serves as a door for the drawer, thus closing the opening in the cabinet, and when being used as a file independent of a cabinet the swinging leaf serves to hold the papers in position upon the standards or hooks, thus preventing them from accidentally getting off of the hooks or standards, and also for perforating the letter or paper, as before described.

A letter-file constructed as herein shown and described is simple, cheap, and durable in construction, employing a' small number of parts, each of which perform a number of useful functions.

Havingthus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A letter-file comprising a base, 'a U- the loop extending beyond the end of the base and in a plane therewith and forming a handle, the ends extending upwardly and then outwardly, said outwardly-extending portion parallel with the base, and a leaf hinged to the base over the U -shaped portion of the wire and adapted to swing at right angles to the base, substantially as described.

2. A letter-file comprising a base provided with upwardlyand outwardly extending pins near one end of the base, aleaf hinged to the end of the base to swing at right angles thereto and provided with openings to receive the outwardly-extending ends of the pins for perforating the paper, and a plate on the base and provided with an upwardly-prejecting flange to limit the inward movement of the hinged leaf, substantially as described.

3. A letterfile comprising a base, impalingpins made of a U-shaped piece of wire attached to the base and having the loop extending beyond the base, the ends being bent upwardly and then outwardly parallel with the base, a leaf hinged to the base and provided with cutting plates, and a plate secured to the base between the hinged leaf, and the upwardly-extending portion of the pins, said plate provided with an upwardlyprojeeting flange adjacent the hinged leaf to limit the inward movement thereof, substantially as described.

4:. A letter-file comprising a base, impalingpins made of a single piece of wire attached to the base and having the loop extending beyond the end of the base, the ends of said wire bent upwardly and then outwardly parallel with the base, a leaf hinged to the base at one end to swing at right angles thereto, cutting-plates attached to the hinged leaf and having their lower ends bent at right angles to form stops for the paper, and a plate secured to the base between the hinged leaf and the upwardly-extending portions of the pins, said plate being provided with a bentup portion at the end adjacent the swinging leaf to limit the inward-swinging movement thereof, substantially as described.

5. A letter-file comprising a base,irnpalingpins made of a U-shaped piece of wire attached to the base and having a loop extending beyond the base, the ends being bent upwardly and then outwardly parallel with the base, a leaf hinged to the base and provided with cutting-plates having stops for the paper, and a holding-plate secured to the base between the hinged leaf, and the upwardlyextending portion of the pins, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HANS A. SKRE EERG.

Vitnesses:

G. o. BUNDY, A. II. DALEN. 

